Sony: Devs now seeing key to PSP success

Fewer console ports for the better, says PSP marketing manager

The PSP has been out since 2005, but developers are only now beginning to realise what makes a good game for PSP, admits the PSP marketing boss.

Talking of the recent good fortunes for PSP, Sony's John Koller said: "developers and publishers are now just starting to see what the keys to success are on the PSP.

"It's not like the console world at all, and it's something we've been preaching for a while," he added, pointing to key franchises such as God of War and Daxter appearing on the handheld in unique, handheld-specific incarnations.

The key is "making a unique game under that umbrella and making it creative and have it be something that you can't play on console," explained Koller.

"One thing we've noticed is that about 1 in 2, about 50% of consumers, are using the PSP at home. And if they are then... they don't want to buy the same console game that they play on a handheld.

"So, to avoid that kind of competitive play, a lot of developers and publishers are starting to say, 'all right, maybe it's time we start making games that are unique to that system under a strong umbrella'."

Koller also teased about a number of "key" and "expansionary" PSP announcements to come soon. "We have a number of key announcements that'll be made in the next few months that'll be kind of expansionary in what the PSP can do."